Affiliates Guide: Affiliate Programs 101

January 05, 2018

Hello Bellas, why don’t we all get affiliated with each other? Did I actually mean “acquainted” with each other? Nope. I mean affiliated. With the launch of Bella Ella’s new Affiliate Program, we thought we’d take the opportunity to share exactly what affiliate programs are and why they can help you make some extra money!

What are Affiliate Programs?

Affiliate Programs are a way for companies, like Bella Ella Boutique, to partner up with online bloggers and influencers to market their products. At the same time, Affiliates (bloggers and influencers) are able to grow their brand awareness and following, while also making a profit from the sales they drive to their affiliated brands.

How Does an Affiliate Make Money?

Have you ever wondered how your favorite bloggers are able to showcase so many new clothes? Travel to all those exotic locations? Work as an influencer/blogger full time? Most likely, they are earning their money through Affiliate Programs. The truth is not every blogger/influencer lives every day in complete glamour like you see on their social pages and websites, but many of them still make a great profit from these programs! Now, how exactly do they do it?

When an Affiliate signs up for the Bella Ella Boutique Affiliate Program through ShareASale, or other affiliate programs, they agree to market that brand’s products through their website or social pages. Companies use sites like ShareASale to provide their affiliates with special affiliate linksthat track the sales that come from a blogger or influencer’s following. Many affiliates make a specific percentage of the profits from the sales that come from a customer using their affiliate link. In some cases, like in Bella Ella’s Affiliate Program, the Affiliates are also rewarded with free products, gift cards, and cash bonuses.

Why Do Brands Want to Work with Affiliates?

Brands want their products to reach as wide of an audience as possible! Affiliates have the ability to help brands bring their product to audiences that are sure to love them. Your favorite blogger or influencer is always able to find you the cutest clothing and the best styles with the best quality, they want to help you and you trust them to do so! This means that Bella Ella and other companies want their products to be what bloggers can’t wait to share with their followers.

Who Can Be an Affiliate?

Like I said earlier, not every affiliate needs to be a jet-setter that spends all their time wearing the latest couture fashions to be a successful affiliate. The great thing about being a blogger or a social media influencer is that your brand can be whatever you want it to be! Thanks to the expansive internet community, there’s literally an audience for just about any subject you can imagine! Want to write about and share pictures of your latest healthy meal while wearing your favorite outfit? DO IT! Want to showcase your nifty DIY tricks and closet organization hacks? DO IT! There are no limitations to who can and cannot have a blog or a strong social media following, so there are no limitations to who can be an affiliate!

How Do You Become an Affiliate?

To becoming an Affiliate for your favorite brands, all you have to do is put in some hard work to build your brand and following, have a polished website/social feed, and show genuine passion for what you’re wanting to market! Those three things may seem a bit daunting, but stay with me, and I’ll walk you through each one so you can feel confident in jumping into the world of Affiliates Programs.

Build Your Brand/Following: One of the most important things for any aspiring Affiliate is to know their personal brand they want to create. Once you’ve figured that out your following is sure to… well… follow! If your real passion is home decor, don’t spend too much time trying to write posts about cooking. If you have a passion for fashion and like to keep it local, don’t get caught up in trying to write about travel. Figure out what YOU love to write about and your followers will love you Side Note: if you don’t have a million and one followers on social media, don’t think that means you can’t be an Affiliate! Many companies want to partner with “micro-influencers”, who have a close relationship with their smaller following! Don’t let the big-dogs scare you off. Just go ahead and put yourself out there!

Polish Your Website/Social Feed: Any seasoned blogger or influencer will be the first to tell you that showcasing a polished website and photography is a must to launch yourself into being an Affiliate. Don’t have a fancy camera, though? No problem! Plenty of successful bloggers have made do with even just their smartphone. Do your research on how to take masterful pictures with your phone or how to do some basic editing! The important thing is to be consistent and showcase the best photos you can to show brands you can market their product effectively!

Passion for Your Brand: One thing brands want to see from potential Affiliates is a genuine fire for what they do. They want to see you posting on your blog’s social and your website at least a couple times a week, if not daily when it comes to social media. Showcase meaningful photography, but don’t stop there! Write meaningful content as well that will encourage engagement from your followers and show brands you take your work seriously.

Now you officially know the basics of Affiliate Programs and how you can use them to boost your blog, social media, and bank account. Remeber there’s a ton of demand for micro-influencers, growing blogs, and blogging tycoons alike so that you can get in on the action even if you’re just starting out. In fact, a great place to start your search for an Affiliate Program is Bella Ella Boutique! With our program, you’ll find competitive commission rates, monthly incentives and rewards, and a ton of support from our affiliates team. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned affiliate, the Bella Ella Boutique Affiliate Program will take your blogging career to the next level! Click below to learn more about our program!

Until next time Bellas!

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